This invention relates to a tape running position counter using an electronic counter circuit for use in a tape recorder etc.
Generally, a tape recorder includes a tape counter showing an amount of running of a tape. In the prior art a mechanical counter is mainly used whose digit wheels are rotated in interlock with the rotation of a reel shaft to display a count value corresponding to the amount of running of the tape. Recently an electronic counter circuit is used which counts pulses generated according to the rotation of the reel shaft and displays a corresponding count value. The electronic counter circuit can effect various controls using the count value. When, for example, the tape is run to a predetermined count value in the fast forward or rewind mode, the running of the tape can be automatically stopped. Since in the electronic counter circuit a display section consumes great power it is desired that the electronic counter circuit be disconnected from a power supply at the stop mode time. In the case where, for example, switching is effected from a playback mode to a rewind mode the running of the tape is temporarily stopped and the counter is reset, causing a count value on a display section to disappear. In this case, a count value corresponds to an amount of running of the tape as measured from a position taken by the tape at each stopping time and it is impossible to obtain a count value corresponding to an absolute amount of running of the tape as measured from an initial state in which a tape is fully wound on one reel shaft. One solution to this problem is to provide a display switch separately from an operation switch of the tape recorder to control a supply of power from a power supply to a display section. However, this approach leads to a complicated arrangement and, moreover, there is a risk that a count value on the display section will be erased by a possible erroneous operation of the switch.